Monster suggestions for Darkness-themed tomb

[ZeroSpace9000]

I'm working on a dungeon crawl for my lvl5, gestalt campaign, and I would like some suggestion for interesting undead to use. A quick browse of Monster Manual 1 has only given me Skeletons/Zombies, Allips, and Shadows. The first two are good fodder monsters, but the other 2 would just make me feel... dirty.


So, allowed sources; All 3.5 sources, and the Pathfinder SRD.

[Keneth]

Nightshades.






What? :smalltongue:

[ZeroSpace9000]

:smallannoyed: I do believe I mentioned that the players are level 5 right now. Something in the CR 4-7 range is what I'm looking for. Failing that, some interesting abilities to graft onto a generic undead would also be good.

[Keneth]

Well, encounters don't necessarily have to consist of PCs killing the evil monsters. Pitting a group of 5th level characters against a Nightskitter (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/undead/nightshade/nightskitter) can make for a good chase scenario where the PCs have to run to safety before it catches them. Or you can make a lesser form of nightshade that would fit your CR range. Nightshades are cool like that. :smallbiggrin:

[Gildedragon]

Dark Chokers
Defacers
Taint Elementals
Spider Swarms (these are great when you need to freak players out... not much damage, but describe the crawling sensation: the crawling legs, the tickling feet, the myriad tiny hairs... scuttling over the body, slipping under the clothes)
Drow Whatever
Skiurids

[Kol Korran]

a few come to mind. first there is a ghost. it can be applied to a fairly low HD corpse, and can be a very interesting enemy (and less ability damaging than allips or shadows)

also at the end of MM3 (or is it MM2?) there is the Vasuthant- a ball of darkness that can send black tentacles to grab opponents and put them into itself, then crushing them. it's of a low CR if i remember correctly, so you can increase it size. it has some nifty puzzling abilities as well. good monster.

while not an undead, I am quite fond of the gibberign mouther as a horror encounter. but not in the traditional MM1 sense, but rather a little makeover i made for it. look in my sig at the "monster manual for..." and check the link inside. It's quite interesting I think.

a chaos beast (MM1) might be quite frightening for similar reasons.

warlocks have evocations that enable them to cast darkness at will, as well as see in magical darkness. might be an interesting work.

the dracnomicon has the shadow dragons, and you might make one of a very low hit dice, perhaps as boss. nasty breath weapon though, could be deadly. then again- it's a dragon, it should be deadly.

an interesting encounter could be with some animated objects that might have darkness and silence cast upon them (perhaps by a trap?) and then conduct an entire fight without making a word. have the player pass you notes at what they are doing, or limit themselves to just describing actions. "blind, mute and death" sort of battle.

all i got from the top of my head, might get more ideas later. good luck!

[Telonius]

Dark Ones (from the Fiend Folio) could fit the bill.

[Callin]

Make the Tomb COMPLETELY lightless and half the distance of all lightsources (magical mumbojumbo reasons). Give all the undead Lifesight.

[Kuulvheysoon]

Anything with the Dark template (ToM). Turn one of the better +1 LA templates against your players!

[ksbsnowowl]

Shadow Creature (Lords of Madness) Troll. CR 6, effectively a gestalt CR 5. He has Regeneration 5 AND Fast Healing 2. The way regen and fast healing interact, it's as if he had Regeneration 7 until all his non-fire or acid damage is healed, then the regen shuts off, and the fire and acid damage is healed at 2 per round.

All shadow creatures get Shadow Blend. Here it is from the Shadow Mastiff in the SRD (the one from Shadow Creature is identical):


Shadow Blend (Su)
In any condition of illumination other than full daylight, a shadow mastiff can disappear into the shadows, giving it total concealment. Artificial illumination, even a light or continual flame spell, does not negate this ability. A daylight spell, however, will.

The total concealment is mean and awesome at the same time. The shadow creature basically starts the encounter hidden, pretty much no matter what. It is up to interpretation whether or not he is hidden while attacking thereafter.

[Pally din]

It is not undead but the darkness theme fits: bat swarms.

Spectre is CR 7. Bodak and Mohrg are both CR 8; maybe there is a way to nerf them some, like having them already wounded. Oh, and some of the zombies and skeletons could be awakened undead, giving them a suprising intelligence.